Sagittarius 2016

[puellacaerulea]

Mutable fire: the essence of optimism. This is a perfume of energetic positivity, freedom, exploration, tolerant idealism, and spontaneity. This is the scent of the wandering philosopher, the fearless adventurer, and the outspoken activist. Rugged cedar and white pine, wise rowan and California white sage, soft mosses, well-worn leather, peppery tomato leaf, and fiery saffron.

As a Sag rising and someone who loves BPAL's leather note, I decided this was worth going for. It smells *amazing* in the bottle -- fresh pine and woods with something bright and spicy hanging around (the saffron, maybe?). Once it's on, the pine unfortunately fades on me fast, but the leather note amps up more -- the sort of softer leather note in scents like Dead Leaves, Raw Leather, etc. The tomato leaf also gets more prominent, bringing something green and peppery to the scent. The end result is a slightly spicy green scent with the leather note grounding it. Throw is fairly good, and it does last long. While I like the end result on well enough, I do miss the pine note once it goes away. It is a little bit on the masculine side, but I still think anyone could wear it.

[roseus]

I bought this for my guy who is a Sag but I had to test it too! He is a botanist and this sounded just so perfect for him. In the bottle it's a light, fresh pine made bright and a little spicy by the tomato leaf and saffron. On wet the pine really comes out but as it dries it is softened by the other woods and the moss. On me there is a nice base of very soft brown leather with moss and a touch sweet pine over it. On him it's similar but not as sweet and soft. The pine retains a little bite, and I catch a little more cedar, tomato leaf, and saffron.

[zankoku_zen]

Okay, so this blend is full of notes that I don't typically like: well-worn leather, cedar, and white-sage. So color me surprised, when I test them on my nativity day, and find that I quite like it. It's both delicate and robust, gender neutral, herby mossy but with enough green and woods to make it well-rounded. It's very well blended, and I'm actually quite pleased with the blend for my Sun sign. Modest throw and wear length.

 

I'd definitely think about getting a bottle of this one.

 

ETA: the drydown is an aquatic mossy. I like it.

Edited March 16, 2017 by zankoku_zen

[Blood onmy hands]

Mostly sour pine on my skin, sharp and green, with hints of dry, herbal sage. A warm, golden spiciness from the saffron in the drydown, but it still mostly reads as PineSol.